The Final Word Cricket Podcast

It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, Bharat Sundaresan joins the show for what is coincidentally a great week to be an expert on West Indies teams meeting India. Famous uncles, less famous young nephews, and one of the most underrated batting greats of all. Join the dots on Story Time.

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:

5.60 - Bala Sivaramanan

16.24 - Dom Griffiths

4.73 - Chris Dobbins

1.17 - Ash Jayaraman

2.71 - Eric Parnis

2.00 - Toby Guyatt

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get down to Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City! More extra, less ordinary.

westfield.com/united-kingdom/london

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Donate to support our Edinburgh Marathon runners for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

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Season 16, Episode 11: On this episode, as promised, we shift focus to Vanuatu. Specifically, to their extraordinary women’s team, currently in action at the T20 World Cup qualifier in Abu Dhabi. To be one step away from the World Cup with a side that barely existed until a decade ago is a story that, in a way, speaks for itself.

Their rise was confirmed when knocking off regional giant PNG to win a spot at a tournament that includes three full member nations. Then last week, they thrashed Zimbabwe to begin this most important competition they’ve ever participated in – a scarcely believable result. Joining us to help tell this great modern tale, Selina Solman, the captain of the team, and Tim Cuttler, an Australian who has been chief executive of Cricket Vanuatu over the last few years, and also happens to be a spinner in their men’s team.

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get down to Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City! More extra, less ordinary. westfield.com/united-kingdom/london

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Donate to support our Edinburgh Marathon runners for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

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Season 16, Episode 10: Just what is The 100 worth? It's a question that has vexed English cricket, on various levels, since it was first dreamed up some six years ago. Now, we are up to the inevitable moment for the controversial competition as it is prepared for a day at the market. Will Macpherson, from the Telegraph, joins as this week's co-host to go into depth about a story he's been covering as closely as anyone. It leads our busy agenda, which also includes the announcement of T20 squads on the men's side and upsets at the qualification tournament for the women. Later, it's domestic cricket aplenty and Cricket Australia's new blueprint for the women's game.

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get down to Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City! More extra, less ordinary. westfield.com/united-kingdom/london

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Donate to support our Edinburgh Marathon runners for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

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Season 16, Episode 9: It’s appropriate that this conversation with Greg James took place at The Oval, the ground he grew up visiting with his dad – the place where he developed an unbreakable bond with the game. He explains how he fell in and out of love with playing without ever really leaving. And how that’s turned into finding a place for it professionally through the Tailenders podcast and all that's evolved from it, but not so much of a place that it eats away at the boyhood joy that started it all. A delightful guest.

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get down to Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City! More extra, less ordinary. westfield.com/united-kingdom/london

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Donate to support our Edinburgh Marathon runners for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

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It's Story Time, our walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. Daniel Norcross is back with Adam for a second installment of their doubleheader, recorded beneath the Jardine portrait then later at the former England captain’s home ground. It’s an Australian skipper, Allan Border, who is celebrated for his secondary discipline after we learn all there is to know about the man who was for many decades Lancashire’s finest quick. An astonishing get later in the show, somehow linking Liverpool’s Fab Four and Sri Lanka’s Tremendous Two. We finish on even 100s made in both innings, hitting a variety of Final Word sweet spots along the way. Enjoy!

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:

2.52 – James

2.00 – Alex P

7.56 – Steven Westwood

2.00 – Paul Reeve

10.00 – Anna Forsyth revisited

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get down to Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City! More extra, less ordinary. westfield.com/united-kingdom/london

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Donate to support our Edinburgh Marathon runners for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

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It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This is the first of a Story Time weekend doubleheader with Daniel Norcross. Only four numbers, but boy did we go to some places. From the Biggest Vince, to a debut hat-trick to picking Daniel’s clothes on TikTok. What about the chap who played once for England in football and once for England in cricket? Or the Dusty Old Bastard who was sent a fake telegram to turn up for a Test he wasn’t selected for? Later, a beautiful sequence of coincidental numbers gets us to the first Lord’s Test ton. And all capped with a Jeremy Coney voice note about Umpire Dick Short.

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:

2.02 - Jason Bennie

2.59 – Daniel Forman

14.80 – Jimit Raja

3.16 – Rizwan Patel

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get down to Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City! More extra, less ordinary. westfield.com/united-kingdom/london

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Donate to support our Edinburgh Marathon runners for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 16, Episode 8: We've seen her do unreal things before, but this one was the best of the lot. The biggest chase ever in women's cricket, with Chamari ending on 195 not out. Also this week, Meg Lanning's interview about her struggles, the new English women's domestic structure becomes clear, and in men's cricket we have Australian domestic players refusing state contracts, Scott Boland injured out of the county season, Peter Siddle going around yet again, and another hectic week in the run-fest IPL.

Your Nerd Pledge number this week:

82.15 - Pat Dempsey

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Run or donate to the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

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Season 16, Episode 7: It's been a rugged month at Cricket Ireland. In a buoyant mood after winning their first men's Test Match in March, the focus has quickly moved to internal affairs, whether that be the postponement of Australia's visit, budgets or company cars. It's the perfect time for another chat with Warren Deutrom, who has been the chief executive at CI head office since 2006. To help frame this detailed conversation, Nathan Johns from the Irish Times also joined Adam in Dublin.

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get down to Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City! More extra, less ordinary. westfield.com/united-kingdom/london

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Run or donate to the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

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It's Story Time, our weekly walk through cricket history via your listener quiz challenges. This week, a search for the greatest Welsh all-rounder, and another search for a run out of historical significance. We have a caller on the line sounds weirdly like Steven Finn, an unexpected link from Bradman to Murali, and a song of praise for the most swoon-worthy wrist position of all.

Your Nerd Pledge numbers this week:

10.00 - Anna Forsyth

4.00 - Amelia Vine

4.78 - Ed Barr-Sim

9.51 - Darragh O'Donovan

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Donate to support our Edinburgh Marathon runners for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

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Season 16, Episode 6: One of our staples is to speak with Lawrence Booth, the editor of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, on the day of its release in the Lord’s Library. In this, his 13th edition in charge, no punches are pulled. As he says in his editors’ notes, it’s clear that the future of Test cricket, beyond the wealthiest nations, really is at the crossroads. And as always, there’s so much more celebrating the year that was – forthright and thoughtful, the good book is doing exactly as it should.

Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword

Get your 10% discount on top-notch kit from Serious Cricket.

Use FINALWORD24 at checkout --> seriouscricket.co.uk

Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw

Run or donate to the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the Lord's Taverners

All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword

Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com

Title track by Urthboy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices